The Covington County Grassroots Alliance and Alabama Arise are sponsoring a listening session about health care in Alabama, and local organizer Steve Hubbard hopes that people from all spectrums of the poverty scale will be in attendance.

“Arise Citizens Policy Project and Alabama Arise will be here to listen to your concerns and to talk about Arise’s work for state policies that better serve low income citizens,” Hubbard said. “The main topic for the overall discussion will be about improving health care in Alabama and suggestions as Alabama Medicaid plans new ways to improve health in our state.”

Hubbard wants people to learn about Alabama Arise and hopes that if people come they will feel like they are becoming more involved in the community.

“Arise is a group that will work with people and make life better,” Hubbard said. “They will be talking on subjects such as Medicaid, pay day lending and eliminating sales tax on groceries.”

Mike Nicholson from the Arise Citizens Policy Project and Alabama Arise will speak at the event.

Nicholson is the coordinator for the Southeast Alabama area of Arise Citizens Policy Project, which is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of 150 congregations and community groups and hundreds of individuals united in their belief that low-income people are suffering because of state policy decisions.

Hubbard hopes that at least 100 people will be in attendance to the listening session.

“There is a real issue with healthcare in the state and I hope people will come listen and speak out,” Hubbard said. “A number of counties in Alabama have seen rural hospitals closed within the last 12 months. Camden has closed its hospital doors and there has been a significant impact on lower-income healthcare because of it. I hope that healthcare professionals will also come to the listening session, because there has to be a concern about how this is affecting healthcare providers.”

The event is free, and will be located at the Andalusia City Hall Auditorium on Aug., 14, from 6 p.m., until 7:30 p.m.

For more information, call 800-832-9060 or email mike@alarise.org.